


The Untold Story of Kyra Malfoy

by Kicon



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dysfunctional Family, Familial Abuse, Family Secrets, Gen, Malfoy Manor, Muggles, POV First Person, Pre-Hogwarts, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-16
Updated: 2012-05-14
Packaged: 2017-12-22 17:00:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/915749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kicon/pseuds/Kicon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Looking back on it now, I suppose it was fate..." On one fateful night in August, 1979, Narcissa Malfoy stumbles upon a baby Muggle girl in an alley. She decides to adopt it, and claims to Lucius that it is the daughter of a friend who cannot take care of her anymore. Narcissa finally has what she wanted: a daughter. But is she aware of the price that she will pay for giving a Muggle the name Malfoy?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Fateful Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My [tumblr](http://kiconwrites.tumblr.com)

Looking back on it now, I suppose it was fate that caused everything to happen the way it did. It was a black, broken night on August 6, 1979, and Lucius and I had had another fight. We'd been married for three years and had been trying for some time now to have a baby, but it just wasn't happening. Upset and in quite a flustered state, I left our gray Manor and took a calming walk around Wiltshire. Lucius always hated it when I did this, fearing that I would end up fraternizing with Muggles, and so I therefore loved doing it.

I didn't end up walking around my usual route through the more crowded parts of town. Instead, I found myself in the alleys in the poorer section. I'd never been there before, yet my feet continued guiding me forward for some strange, unknown reason. It was then that I'd rounded a corner and met a ghastly sight.

Sitting on the damp, muddy ground against a brick wall was a young Muggle woman. She was slumped over with her forehead on her knees. Her hair was dark and greasy and pressed against her pale face. In her arms I noticed a small bundle wrapped tightly in a pale green blanket. My body turned cold when I realized that the woman wasn't moving at all, not even her ribcage.

Bending over and trembling with fear, I reached forward to move her arm so I could see if the baby was still alive. As soon as I touched her, however, she grabbed my arm and stared at me with frightfully wild blue eyes. She drew a shuddering breath, her body shaking uncontrollably, and she hoarsely hissed,

"Give her a better life."

The bundle in her arms began wailing then, and I breathed a sigh of relief that it was still alive. The woman's grip on my arm slackened and her arm fell to the ground and she slumped over again, lifeless eyes staring into nothing. Chilled, I reached over and closed her eyes, then took the crying baby in my arms.

Give her a better life? What was that supposed to mean? The child was a Muggle, no doubt. I supposed I could hand the child over to an orphanage, but then there would be questions...

I felt a tug on my hair and looked down to see that the baby had grabbed a fistful of it in its tiny hand. And in that moment, my heart melted. I quickly checked to make sure of the gender, and I smiled at the little girl in my arms. She had a small tuft of raven hair on her head, and she looked at me with silver eyes that reminded me of Lucius.

I knew that I couldn't give her up, Muggle or not. I could try and make Lucius understand -

No. I knew he wouldn't understand. The Dark Lord would surely kill him if he found out. Lucius would ask questions about where I found her, too, and of her blood purity. Neighbors would wonder as well. And -

But I didn't care. I had a baby. A child to raise as my own. Lucius couldn't be upset with that, could he? After all, he wanted a baby as much as I did.

And so, as I walked back to my gray, lifeless Manor, I concocted a relatively believable story about my little girl's history. Which was well, since I was instantly interrogated as soon as I stepped inside the Manor.

"Where have you - " Lucius stopped, staring at the bundle in my arms. "What is that?"

"It's a baby, Lucius," I softly replied.

"Where did it come from?" he asked stiffly and with a suspicious tone.

I sighed and caressed her cheek, making her coo slightly. "A friend of mine in Denmark - you wouldn't know her - well, her husband left her for another woman. And now she's been diagnosed with a grave disease that's killing her. She found me in town on broomstick and gave this baby to me, and told me to give her a better life."

The baby let out a happy, garbled noise, and Lucius' eyes softened. I angled her so he could see her, and he took a step forward with his hand raised. Then he stopped.

"What is her blood purity?" he asked.

"She is pureblood, of course," I sniffed, pleased that my tone sounded annoyed that he would doubt she was anything else. Inside me, my heart gave a painful squeeze.

He smiled. "What are we going to name her?"

A jubilant beam found its way on to my face, and I kissed my baby girl's tiny forehead. "I was thinking Kyra Estelle Malfoy."

Lucius made his way over to me and kissed my cheek, then smiled down at our Kyra and waggled his fingers at her.

"I know you wanted a boy - " I started, but he hushed me.

"She's perfect, Cissy," he whispered. "Our little Kyra."

My heart warmed and tears filled my eyes and I resisted jumping for joy as a rush of love for my husband filled my body.

"We'll raise her as our own," he continued. "She will never know that she's not of Malfoy blood. And neither will anybody else, if we can help it."

"She has silver eyes, like you," I supplied.

Lucius smiled and nodded. "Can I hold her?"

I bit my lip, scared for some reason that if he touched her he would know that she was a Muggle. However, I didn't want to arouse suspicion, so I handed Kyra to him. And what I witnessed took my breath away.

Lucius was not a very affectionate person. He was cold and cruel a lot of the time, but I was one of the very few that knew that that was just a front. He held up that exterior so he wouldn't be called weak. Ever since he'd joined the Death Eaters, I'd seen his true self less and less. But when he took Kyra in his arms and cradled her to his chest, looking at her with a warm, wondrous expression, I knew that I hadn't lost that side of him.

A few moments later, Lucius left to go purchase baby supplies and had Dobby place them in the empty room across from our bedroom. I laid Kyra in her yellow crib and kissed her gently, then spun the mobile that hung over her bed. And I smiled down at my little girl, my Kyra, and thought to myself how lucky I was.

Yes. I suppose fate had _something_ to do with it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short story, only ten chapters and an epilogue, and some of the chapters are pretty short
> 
> Colors are very significant in this story. Try to figure out what each color means ;)
> 
> ~Ki


	2. Draco

Only a couple weeks later, I discovered that I was pregnant. Lucius and I couldn't have been happier. _Two_ children! Two little rugrats running around our once empty, lonely Manor. What could be better?

That might've been fate as well. If you care to see it that way.

"It's a boy," one of the Healers declared, and I heard the small wailings of my son.

"A boy, Cissy," Lucius breathed, wiping my hair off my forehead and kissing it.

Dazed and exhausted, I smiled wearily. The yellow walls of my private birthing suite in St. Mungo's swam before me.

"Do we have a name?" another Healer asked.

"Draco," I answered immediately. "Draco Lucius Malfoy."

Lucius kissed my forehead again, his face radiant with joy. A Healer handed my beautiful baby boy to me and I smiled down at him. He blinked his eyes open and squinted slightly. They were silver, like his father and sister -

Panicking suddenly, I reached out with my free arm and clutched the front of Lucius' blue robes. He looked at me with worry.

"Where's Kyra?" I asked with alarm.

"Be calm, my love, I left her with Bellatrix," he replied, chuckling at my reaction.

Slowly, I unknotted my fingers from his clothing and told myself to calm down. I loved my eldest sister, but she was the most loyal of the Dark Lord's servants. A part of me feared that Bella would somehow figure it out and kill her. Or she would infect Kyra with her perverse and twisted notions.

"Could you bring them in?" I asked.

He nodded, smiling, and left the room briefly. He returned shortly with my sister, who was holding my baby girl in her arms. My little Kyra wasn't so little anymore, however. She was about three months old when I'd found her in August of last year, so Lucius'd had her birth certificate and other paperwork drawn up stating that her birthday was May 6. Kyra had turned one a little over a month ago.

"Mama," she garbled, reaching for me.

I cradled Draco in my right arm and Bellatrix set Kyra down and I wrapped my left arm around her. She leaned over and looked at Draco with a hilariously confused expression.

"Say hello to you little brother Draco," I said. She frowned. "Say it with me. Dra. Co."

Kyra looked at me and giggled, then reached forward with a pudgy hand and lightly caressed the side of Draco's face. I heard a sharp intake of air and I turned my head to see Bellatrix staring at my children with a perplexed expression, her face gray. I knew she didn't understand the true, white beauty of love, but it had never been so evident before. After a moment, her hard mask returned and she quickly left the room.

I smiled down at my babies. Draco had closed his eyes and Kyra was nestling her head underneath my chin. Her hand closed around his, and when I looked at my husband he had tears in his eyes.

I'd never been so happy before in my life.


	3. The War is Over

It was a chilly night in very early November, 1981, and I was in the drawing room with Draco and Kyra. Dobby was tending to the fire. I was rocking Draco softly, amazed at how precious my little prince looked. Kyra sat on the rug and was wrestling with a blanket.

Suddenly, I heard the doors crash open, startling Draco and Kyra and causing them to cry. Lucius ran into the drawing room out of breath and wild eyed.

"Lucius, what's happening?" I asked with alarm, clutching Draco to me and reaching for Kyra.

"The...The Dark Lord," he panted. "He is... _gone!_ "

" _Gone?_ " I repeated incredulously, hardly believing my ears.

"He went to the Potter house in Godric's Hollow on Halloween night," he said. "He killed Potter and Evans, and tried killing their son, but the curse rebounded."

My eyes were wide. "Are you certain that he's gone?"

He nodded. "Yes. Not gone forever, I fear. You know how he sought immortality. The Ministry is capturing the Death Eaters as we speak."

"Will they be coming for you?" My voice rose an octave with red panic.

"Most likely," he replied. "They already have Bellatrix in Azkaban."

I let out a cry and held my babies close to me. Lucius came forward and lifted my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"Listen to me, Cissy," he said firmly. "They won't take me away. I can claim the Imperius Curse. You'll vouch for me, won't you?"

"Of course, love," I answered.

He wrapped his arms around me and our children, and the night seemed to grow darker somehow. The gray wind blew violently against the window and the Manor creaked ominously with an unheard message, but as long as we were together, we were safe.


	4. Filled With Love

The Ministry believed Lucius about the Imperius Curse, and we retained our immense social standing and political influence, much to our relief. I had absolutely no desire to raise two children while my husband was in the black prison of Azkaban. Things settled down and the poisonous fear that had we'd been living with since the war began was gone. And I was very glad of it. I didn't want my children to grow up in the middle of a war.

They lived in a safe time, without worries or fears. Draco and Kyra were very close. She always looked out for him, and he always looked up to her. Draco was shy and cautious. Kyra had a soft way about her that I admired. She was stubborn, however; very stubborn. And outspoken as well, which caused many arguments between her and Lucius.

"Daddy?" she said one morning.

"Yes?" he grunted as he flipped through the pages of the Prophet.

"Where's Auntie Bella?" she asked.

I stiffened and watched my husband with worry. For the couple years of Draco's life, Lucius had been very attentive to both of our children. Then, almost suddenly, he began neglecting giving attention to Kyra. He focused completely on Draco and often acted as if Kyra didn't exist. And when she stirred up trouble by asking questions such as that, he always got upset. _Very_ upset.

"I've told you," he said indifferently. "She's on a trip."

Kyra was silent for a moment. "Where's, um...An-dah-rohm-da?"

My heart gave an involuntary spasm and my fork clattered on my plate when I dropped it. Draco, who even at five was very intuitive, sensed that things were about to get ugly and excused himself to the restroom. Lucius folded down the top half of the paper to look at her with piercing eyes.

"Where did you hear that name?" he asked coldly.

"I read it," she declared proudly. "On the family tree. But her face was a black smudge. So where is she?"

"I do not know, nor do I care," he replied, flipping the paper back up. "Your Aunt Andromeda married Mudblood scum and has thus been cast out of the family."

Kyra frowned, and I could tell that this didn't sit well with her. "They got married?"

"Yes."

"Do they love each other?"

He flipped the paper down again and glared at her with an extreme ferocity. She didn't flinch, however; she simply met his gaze with her own ferocity. I felt the room turn red.

"Any so called _love_ between a pureblood and a Mudblood is sick," he said, barely retaining his anger. "That woman has disgraced our family."

Kyra glowered at him and picked at her food. "Why do we have to hate them? The Muggles and the not purebloods?"

Lucius' face was slowly turning purple, and panic seized my heart.

"I don't see a difference," she muttered to herself. "They look the same as us."

My heart broke clean in two.

" _Go to your room!_ " Lucius thundered, jumping to his feet and causing his chair to topple over behind him with a hideous bang.

Kyra looked at him with fear and shock, then scampered out of the dining room and up the stairs. Half a beat later, I heard another pair of footsteps follow her up, and I knew that Draco had retreated to his room as well, which was good.

Rising slowly from my chair, I gave my husband a piercing glare. "I'll go speak with her."

He said nothing, just stood there with a heaving chest.

So I stepped carefully as I left the room; I didn't want to cut myself on the fragments of our happiness that were lying on the floor.

I was about to enter Kyra's room when I heard her broken sobs. Draco was with her, asking her what was wrong. I peered through the crack and spied them on her lustrous canopy bed. She was lying on her stomach, face pressed into a pillow. Draco sat beside her, hands placed reassuringly on her back.

"Daddy's mean," she cried. "He's full of hate."

A crease formed between my baby boy's eyebrows.

"Don't be like Daddy," she told him, meeting his eyes. "Be filled with love."

"But Ky - "

"Promise me," she said vehemently, sitting up suddenly and turning to face him. She clutched his hands in hers.

Draco nodded, his young, innocent face filled with confusion. "I promise."

I turned away from the door and blinked the hot tears from my blue eyes.

Oh how I wish he could have fulfilled that promise.


	5. Love and Equality

The year that followed was filled with tension and unsaid arguments that were as loud as gunshots through the empty house. Kyra and Lucius avoided each other as much as possible. My heart hurt at the sight, but I knew that it was for the best.

Since the argument, Kyra spent much of her time indoors. Lucius didn't want her to say something "disgraceful" around anybody important, and I didn't want her true blood status to be revealed by magical means of transportation, such as broomsticks or Flooing. She didn't seem to mind much. Draco would go with Lucius places and she would stay home with me. Kyra loved spending time in the library. I secretly purchased Muggle books and let her read them, as long as she kept it a secret from her father. She loved that. Sometimes, however, I would catch a gray expression of loneliness on her face.

So it was a wonderful day when Lucius was working and I was at home with both of them. I sat outside on the porch and watched them chase one of the white peacocks around the yard. Being in the house was becoming far too unbearable for me, with its blue halls and black windows, filled with meaningless things.

"No, Draco, don't!" Kyra shrieked suddenly, causing me to drop my cup of tea. The yellow cup shattered on the wood and crunched beneath my boots as I stood and looked at them.

Draco had caught the peacock and was hitting it mercilessly with one of the sticks that he and Kyra had been pretending were wands. Kyra seized the fake wand and wrenched him off the peacock. It ran quickly away.

"Why were you doing that?" she asked angrily.

Draco blinked at her. "I was just playing."

"No, you were _hurting_ it," she corrected.

"No I wasn't!"

Then she did something that completely surprised me. She got behind him and wrapped her arm around his neck, raised the stick that Draco was wielding previously, and whapped him continuously over the head.

"Ow, ow, ow!" he squealed. "That _hurts!_ "

She released him and he stumbled away from her, pale blonde hair hanging in his face as he stared at her with silver, betrayed eyes.

"Why'd you do that?" he demanded.

"To show you that it does indeed hurt."

He huffed. "Daddy says that it's below us. It doesn't have any feelings."

Kyra's expression crumpled. My heart sank. Poor, malleable young Draco had been spending far too much time with his father.

"Daddy is wrong," she said. "Nothing is below us."

"But - "

"Draco, please," she said so softly that I had to strain to hear her. "Please understand. We must treat others how we want to be treated. It's the golden rule."

He wrinkled his nose with confusion and distaste.

She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "Love and equality, Draco. Remember those and you will find happiness."

I repaired my broken tea cup and called the children in. Gray storm clouds had covered the sky and threatened to pour down on us all. We retreated into the drawing room and I pulled the curtains shut, closing out the rest of the world. I would be content to stay like this for the rest of my life: just me and my children.

"Dobby, fix the fire," I commanded coldly, then stopped myself. "No, wait."

The house-elf froze and stared at me with his bulbous, green eyes. He trembled slightly, and I could tell that he was afraid of punishment. "Yes mistress?"

"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "You don't deserve this cruelty."

His eyes widened - if that was even possible - and he twisted his dirty pillow case between his hands, obviously uncomfortable. "No, mistress, Dobby deserves every cruelty. Dobby is a bad elf! _Bad, bad -_ "

He proceeded to hit himself in the face, and I sighed, walking away from him and collapsing down into one of the armchairs. Kyra watched Dobby's bout of self-harm with obvious unhappiness. Then she got up and laid a gentle hand on the top of his head. He froze and slowly met her warm silver eyes. A silent exchange went between them, and then he calmly made a fire and left the room. Kyra returned to her game of chess with Draco.

 _Love and equality_ , my mind echoed. _Remember those and you will find happiness._

Those words rang so true, and I pondered how on earth my seven year old girl had become so wise.

Perhaps it was all those Muggle books I let her read.

Perhaps not.


	6. This Dream of a Daughter

"Mummy," Kyra said with dead seriousness, "I can't _stand_ Pansy!"

"I know, dearest, but you must behave," I murmured as I did her hair.

She winced as I accidentally pulled some of it a tad too hard.

"I always do," she muttered to herself. "She starts everything."

"And you _continue_ everything," I replied firmly. "If you simply ignored her - "

"But, Mum!" she interjected, her wide silver eyes staring at me through the mirror's reflection. "She's _awful!_ "

I sighed. It was very true. Although Lucille and Jonathan Parkinson were some of my good friends, I really didn't like their daughter.

"You only have to put up with her for a couple of hours," I said. "And you'll have Draco with you."

"No, he'll run off with Theo and leave me with _her_." Kyra glowered down at her hands, which were folded neatly in her lap.

I placed the final piece of hair in place and smiled. Perfection. I nudged Kyra and she rose from her chair and turned to face me, smiling happily despite the horror of having to spend the day with Pansy that loomed before her. She looked stunning. Her raven hair was pulled back into an elegant bun, and the diamonds that were fastened onto the end of the bobby pins sparkled brilliantly. Her dress was simple and white, with a green sash that tied around her waist.

"Simply lovely, my little Tiger Lily," I said, kissing her cheek.

She scrunched up her face at the old, forgotten nickname. When she was younger, I'd let her read Peter Pan, and for a very long time she insisted upon being called Tiger Lily.

Kyra smiled at me and hugged me tightly. I wrapped my arms around her and silently thanked whatever God it was that gave me her.

The doorbell rang and I fetched Draco (who looked very handsome in his dark blue button up shirt and black slacks) from his room and we went downstairs to greet our guests. The Notts had arrived first, much to Kyra's visible relief. Young Theodore and his father were making easy conversation with Lucius. Draco scampered quickly down the stairs to greet his friend, and Kyra and I followed. We retreated into the drawing room, and the doorbell rang again.

The Parkinsons strode into the Manor, greeting Lucius and I heartily. Pansy's black hair was messy and stuck out all over the place and she was wearing a gaudy yellow dress. I nudged Kyra, who gave Pansy a half-hearted smile and promptly turned on her heel to go find Draco and Theodore. Pansy huffed and quickly ran after her.

"I believe our food is ready," I said. "If you would follow me."

Lucius and I led our guests into the dining room, where Dobby had everything already prepared for us. We sat opposite Lucille and Jonathan, and Henry sat at the head of the table.

The air filled with small talk and nonsense questions that held no meaning. Then the topic of conversation switched to the children.

"That little Kyra is certainly growing up," Jonathan chuckled to himself as we caught a glimpse of the girls running by the doorway.

"Pansy too," I replied. "She looked…lovely in that dress."

"I picked it out myself," Lucille declared proudly, turning her rather large nose up into the air with pride.

"Her hair is so dark," Henry said casually.

"Well, yes," Lucille replied, sounding confused as to why he pointed it out. "She inherited it from me."

The widower shook his head. "My apologies, Lucy, but I was talking about little Kyra."

"Oh!" she exclaimed with embarrassment. "Yes, it is quite dark. I wonder who she got it from?"

Under the table, Lucius painfully squeezed my wrist and I gasped aloud, but quickly turned into pale laughter.

"My mother and Bellatrix both have black hair," I reminded my friends. I didn't mention Andromeda, who also had dark hair, although it was more brown. "I think the gene skipped me and went to her."

Henry and Jonathan smiled, accepting this statement. However, it seemed that Lucille didn't want to let it go.

"Perhaps," she said with a tight smile, probably still embarrassed from the mix up earlier. "Well, she really doesn't look like either of you except for the color of her eyes. If I didn't know better, I'd think she was adopted!"

My smile froze on my face. It was true. Aside from her eye color, Kyra didn't look related to us at all. I explained away the hair color, but how was I to explain how curly it was while Lucius and I both had straight hair? She had a soft chin and a round nose, and her eyes were rather big. Lucius and I had pointed chins, narrow eyes, and small noses. It was becoming more and more painfully obvious every day.

Everybody laughed at the ridiculous suggestion, and Lucius squeezed my wrist tightly again. I swiftly kicked him in the shin and he let go.

"Yes, well, all of our children are growing up," Lucius said, effectively changing the subject. "And that is precisely the reason that I invited you three here."

Jonathan, Henry, and Lucille knew what he was talking about, but they put on masks of curious surprise just to play along.

"You are my closest friends, and I would like to propose that, in the event that my children are not engaged by the time that they're thirty, Kyra would become engaged to Theodore and Draco to Pansy."

The three parents were silent as they pretended to mull this over. Many years ago when the idea of arranged marriages became too archaic, the pureblood families had come up with the fallback fiancé, thus giving the child a chance to find love while ensuring an appropriate spouse in case they cannot. If I hadn't found Lucius, then I would've been married to Henry Nott, and Lucius to my sister Bellatrix.

"I have no objections," Henry announced, breaking the silence. "You know I adore Kyra, and she and Theo do get on well."

"I do believe Pansy already has a little crush on Draco," Lucille said in her gossiping voice. "Jonathan and I accept as well."

The meal wrapped up shortly after that, and we rounded up our children. Draco and Theodore were playing chess in Draco's room. Theodore was winning. We then found Kyra and Pansy outside. Kyra was sitting in a tree clutching a doll and Pansy was on the ground yelling up at her. Kyra refused to come down until the Parkinsons had left.

"What did she do this time?" I asked as I helped her change out of her dress.

"She called Theo stupid," Kyra huffed. "But he's not stupid, Mum! He's smarter than Draco!"

I patted her head. "I know, darling."

"So I called her stupid and then she got mad and tried taking one of my dolls. Then I ran away," she recounted.

"Kyra," I said sternly. "What was it you told Draco about the golden rule?"

She sighed and fiddled her thumbs. "Treat others how you want to be treated."

"Precisely."

"But Mum!" she exclaimed desperately. "I was just treating her how she was treating me! So I _was_ following the golden rule!"

I chuckled to myself. She certainly was a clever girl. She could do very well in Ravenclaw, if she went to Hogwarts.

Hogwarts.

My heart froze. Kyra was eight already. In a few years she would be expecting her Hogwarts letter. But I knew that it would never come, because she was a Muggle.

Kyra gave me a strange look and I mumbled something about using the restroom, and quickly fled her presence. I pressed my palms on either side of the porcelain basin of the sink and resisted the sobs that threatened to wrack my body. As the years went on, it seemed to become harder and harder to hold on to this dream of a daughter. The world appeared bent on taking her from me. Somewhere inside me, I pushed down the whispers telling me it wouldn't last.

Funny how obvious things seem in hindsight.


	7. It Starts to Unravel

The white squeals of joy coming from my children met my ears and I smiled happily. Draco had just exhibited his first signs of magic: making his brussels sprouts fly off of his plate and out the window. He and Kyra had run outside to see if he could do anything else.

Lucius stood in front of me and blocked my view of them from the window. His eyes were steely.

"This… _friend_ in Denmark," he started slowly.

His stare was piercing, and I tried my best to meet it without seeming suspicious. My heart was beating wildly and part of me feared that he would hear it and would know of my deception.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Kyra is a pureblood, correct?" he asked.

I put on an expression of surprised confusion. "Yes, of course."

"Then why hasn't she displayed any magical abilities?"

My mouth went dry and my mind raced, trying to come up with an excuse.

"The girl is nearly _ten_ , Narcissa!" he exclaimed, eyes wide with fear and worry. He ran a hand through his long hair and began pacing.

"Perhaps - " I began.

"No child of mine is going to be a bloody _Squib!_ " he yelled. Then he paused and looked at me with a black, wicked glint in his eyes. Sinisterly, he said, "But she's not really mine, is she? She just _bears my name_."

I kept the tears down and approached him slowly. Rubbing his shoulders soothingly, I gently told him, "Perhaps she's just a late bloomer, Lucius. There's no need to worry."

His silence scared me more than anything I'd ever heard before.

A moment later, he wrenched himself out of my grip and strode out of the house toward the children. Fear seized my heart and I chased after him.

"Lucius," I called. "Lucius, wait! What are you doing?"

He ignored me and pulled Draco away from Kyra. They stared at him with shock.

"Daddy, what - " Kyra started.

Gripping the collar of Draco's shirt, he glared down at our son. "Go to your room."

"What did I do?" he cried.

"I don't want you two together anymore," Lucius replied. "From now on, you're not to spend any extra time together aside from meals."

Kyra gasped and leapt up to her feet, protests flying out of her mouth faster than could be understood as she reached for her little brother. Lucius flew an arm out and blocked her, but she struggled nonetheless. I lowered my shaking hands from my mouth as I stared pleadingly at my husband.

"Lucius, please," I said. "This is unfair."

"She's making him weak, Narcissa," he growled.

" _Draco! Draco!_ " Kyra screamed.

I stooped over and wrapped my arms around her and gently lifted her away from Lucius and Draco. She screamed and hit me, her face twisted into a heartbreaking expression of pure grief. Lucius began to drag Draco by the collar away from us. His arms flailed toward us and tears streamed down his death white face.

"Father, please!" he shouted, but Lucius didn't look at him. "I'm sorry! Whatever I did, I'm sorry! _Please!_ "

" _DRACO!_ " Kyra shrieked, scratching and clawing me.

She bit my hand and I accidentally let her go. She ran forward after them and I chased her, but she tripped and I knelt beside her, pressing my hand to her back to make sure she didn't get up. She ripped up the grass and pounded the ground with her fists.

"Please dearest," I whispered brokenly. "Please calm down. I'm sure this is for the best."

"Shut up!" she shouted, turning her head and glaring at me. "I _hate_ you! D'you hear? _I hate you both!_ "

I removed my hand from her back like I'd been burned. Tears in my eyes, I got up from the ground and left her to her tantrum. My steps became more and more difficult as I approached the house, and I collapsed on the stairs of the porch. Sobs racked my body and the hot tears cascaded down my face as I had to face reality.

The fabric of this dream I'd built was beginning to unravel, and there was nothing I could do about it.


	8. A Matter of Life and Death

The next day, everything was still as broken as it was the day before. Kyra had come in the house eventually, but didn't speak to either Lucius or I. Lucius had locked Draco in his room, so she holed herself up in her own room. Neither had come down for breakfast.

I didn't meet Lucius' eyes until he had risen from the table and muttered something about needing to go to the Ministry.

"What you did yesterday was cruel and unwarranted," I said hotly, my eyes flashing upward.

His eyes narrowed. "It's for the best. She's making him weak. And if she is a... _Squib_ \- " He choked the word out like it was black poison in his mouth. " - then I don't want him associating with her."

"You'll turn your back on your own daughter?" I cried.

" _She is not my child!_ " he shouted, slamming his cane against the ground for emphasis.

The tension was tangible, and my heart beat quickly with the red rush of fury that pounded through my veins.

"She may not be, but Draco is," I said quietly after a few moments. "And what you're doing is hurting him."

"You have no say in the matter," he replied simply.

"No say?" I repeated incredulously. "I am his _mother!_ How dare you - "

" _Hold. Your. Tongue!_ " he yelled, his face turning purple.

Eyes narrowed, I sauntered around the table and over to him, close enough that our chests were almost touching. I turned my face up towards his and sinisterly said,

"What if I don't? Are you going to lock me in my room too?"

Before he could reply, I swiftly turned away and summoned my coat, hat, and umbrella to me. Without looking at him, I said,

"I'm going out to Diagon Alley." Then I paused. "Oh no, with both of us out of the house, our children might… _fraternize_ with each other!"

I turned and gave him a dramatically shocked look.

"They're both locked in and I have given Dobby _strict_ instructions not to let either of them out. He will provide them food if they need it." He stared directly at the wall above my head.

"You sicken me," I spat, then stormed to the fireplace and took the Floo network to Diagon Alley.

I stepped out of the small building that housed the Diagon Alley fireplaces and into the hustle and bustle of the small cobblestone street. Feeling slightly dizzy from a pounding headache, I left the alley and entered the Leaky Cauldron.

I took a seat in a corner booth and ordered a hot cup of herbal tea from Tom the barman. I put my elbows on the tabletop, closed my eyes, and rubbed my temples meditatively. This whole situation had become entirely too messy, and I couldn't see a way out of it. I'd lost sight of that green light at the end of this godforsaken tunnel.

"M-Madam?"

I looked up and saw Tom holding my teacup out to me. He seemed frightened - of me? I smiled weakly and took it from him.

"Thank you, Tom," I said.

He bowed his head deeply and walked back to the bar, never meeting my eyes.

I frowned and took a sip of my tea. When had things become this way? When did people begin to fear me as opposed to like me? Why had I not noticed it before?

My thoughts were interrupted by Lucille Parkinson, who slid into the booth and loudly began chatting about trivial things such as the weather and Pansy's latest misbehaviors.

"Oh, and Jonathan said that Kyra's test results should be done today."

My heart froze.

"What?" I asked hoarsely.

She blinked, confused. "Kyra hasn't displayed any signs of magic yet, has she?"

I shook my head.

"Well, Jonathan told me that last night Lucius brought in some of Kyra's hair so he could test her for magic," Lucille continued. "I think Jon told Lucius already, now that I think about it..."

I dropped my teacup and it shattered, spraying Lucille with tea. She let out a yellow exclamation of surprise and asked me what was wrong, but I ignored her. My heart was pounding so loudly in my ears that I couldn't hear anything else. I couldn't think of anything else except her, my Kyra.

Fleeing the pub, I slapped a few galleons on the bar to pay for my drink and quickly Flooed home.

"Dobby!" I screamed. " _Dobby!_ "

He appeared in an instant, shaking violently with fear.

"Y-Y-Yes, m-mistress?"

"Let Kyra out of her room," I said.

He quivered and fiddled with his hands. "But, M-Master told Dobby - "

" _Dobby!_ " I exclaimed angrily, and he shrunk back. I took a calming breath and knelt before him, grabbing his scrawny shoulders and looking him directly in the eyes. He appeared shocked at the touch and the eye contact.

"Please, Dobby, please." I pleaded. "You must let her out - this is a matter of life and death! Kyra's not a pureblood. She's a Muggle! And Lucius - "

Dobby disappeared with a crack, and I fell forward on my hands without his shoulders to grip. My body shook with restrained sobs, and a moment later I heard the pounding of feet down the stairs.

"Mummy?"

Kyra appeared before me in a flurry of worry. Her eyes were big with anxiety and she was in quite a disheveled state, with her rumpled dress and hair sticking out in every direction.

"Mummy, what's happening?" she asked, tears gleaming in her silver eyes.

I said nothing, but summoned parchment, a quill, and ink to me and quickly began to compose a letter to my estranged sister. Andromeda.

 _Andy_ , I wrote

_First, I must tell you that I am so terribly sorry for all that I have done to you and haven't done for you. You did not deserve to be cast out. I am glad that you have found love, and have had a daughter._

_The girl that I have sent to you is my own daughter, except she is not. She is a Muggle, and I found her as a baby when she was only a few months old. I have tried to keep her origin a secret, but Lucius has found out and I fear that he will kill her._

_Please take her in and protect her from harm._

_I can never repay you for this._

_Love,_

_Cissy_

I rolled up the parchment and thrust it at Kyra, who refused to take it until I forced her hand around it. Her knuckles were white as she clutched the letter.

"Mummy - "

"Shh, dearest, we don't have much time," I said, trying to hold back my own tears.

I was interrupted by another sound of footsteps and suddenly Draco appeared and hugged Kyra so hard I thought she would suffocate. Dobby appeared with a crack.

"Dobby thought that he should let Master Draco out too," he said, shuffling his feet.

"Good job, Dobby. Thank you," I whispered.

Dobby nodded, his big ears flapping, and then quickly left the room.

"What's happening?" Draco asked, pale with worry.

"Kyra has to leave, Draco," I said.

What little color that was left in Kyra's face disappeared. "What - why?"

"Darling, you're adopted," I whispered. "And you're a Muggle."

She toppled over to the floor and clutched the pendant on her necklace - her initials "KM" in silver. Tears leaked out of her eyes.

"Daddy knows?" she asked, her voice cracking.

I nodded.

"Is he going to hurt me?"

I nodded.

She howled, and a haunting tale of unimaginable grief was heard. I pulled her to her feet and we made our way out the door, trailed by a sobbing Draco.

"I'm sending you to you Aunt Andromeda in Bracknell," I told her.

"The one who's burned off of the tree?"

"Yes. You'll be safe there." _I hope._

When we reached the street, I stuck my wand out in the air and moments later the violently violet Knight Bus appeared.

"Mrs. Malfoy, always a plea - "

I ignored him. "Listen to me, Kyra. I love you. Never forget that. I'll come for you as soon as I can. Be strong, dearest."

She nodded, although she trembled more than a leaf in the wind. I pushed her up the steps and told the driver,

"End of Grove Lane, Bracknell, Berkshire. _Go!_ "

He nodded, grave with urgency, and took off without a word. The last I saw of Kyra was her pale face framed by her raven hair pressed against the window.

Draco cried into my side and I rubbed his shoulders as reassuringly as I could, what with the gaping hole that I felt in my chest. Every time I breathed, I felt it get bigger, and I feared it would soon consume me.


	9. Melted

Draco and I had just gotten inside when Lucius appeared from the Ministry. Never before had I seen him so furious, or so frightening. His dark cloak swept out behind him as he approached me menacingly, a black expression on his face. I ushered Draco out of the room, not wishing him to witness this.

" _Where. Is. She?_ "

I tried my best to sound strong, but my voice cracked. "Somewhere safe."

He growled - a surprisingly primal, animal sound coming from a man who proclaimed himself to be sophisticated and above all others in class. He began pacing the room, and I felt myself relax just slightly. I could deal with him better when he wasn't directly in my face.

"How long did you think it was going to last, Narcissa?"

I was silent. I knew that answering him wouldn't result in anything good.

"What did you think I would do when I found out?" he asked. "Or did you suppose that I'm so stupid I would never have noticed?"

I swallowed and tried to fight back against his words, but the hole in my chest was rendering me incapable of doing so.

"What were you _thinking?_ " he shouted. "Bringing a filthy _Muggle_ into our home - giving it the name _Malfoy?_ Allowing it to soil our house, our friends, and our _son?_ "

" _It_ has a name," I spat, finding my voice. "And it is Kyra. Estelle. _Malfoy_."

He growled again, and it terrified me down to my core. But I didn't back down.

"That _filthy Muggle_ is your _daughter_. And you loved her and you know it."

He let out a beastlike scream and back handed me across the face, throwing me to the floor. I clutched my cheek and stared up at him with horror. He bent over, his hands on his knees, and smiled wickedly.

"'Somewhere safe'?" he repeated, an evil gleam in his eyes. "You think you're so clever, Cissy, but really you're just a predictable fool."

And with that, he stormed out of the room. Draco, who had been hiding just behind the door, jumped out and attacked him.

"Don't hurt my mother!" he shouted. "Don't hurt Kyra!"

"You're just as much of a fool as she is!" Lucius snarled, shoving the boy off of him and toward me. He left the Manor and Disapparated with a loud crack.

Draco crouched beside me and Dobby gave him an ice pack. My beautiful little boy pressed it gently to my red cheek and I blinked through my tears so I could see him.

"I'll never let him hurt you again," he said vehemently. "Never."

I nodded slightly and he helped me up to sit on one of the armchairs. I placed the ice pack on the table and Draco crawled into my lap, his already long legs hanging off the arm of the chair. I tucked his head underneath my chin and wrapped my arms around him. Tears slid down both our faces, and I thought about how much my boy had grown up in just about five minutes. It broke my heart into even more pieces.

We must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I was awoken by the sound of the front doors slamming. A small fire was burning in the fireplace and I silently thanked Dobby. The drawing room was dark and night had fallen outside. My face felt stiff and dried with tears. Draco was still asleep in my arms.

Lucius came into the drawing room with a hideous look of contempt marring his once beautiful face. My expression was hard and stony, revealing no emotion except loathing. He stood in front of me and extended his fist, which was closed around something. He deposited the items on the table. My stomach plummeted and I felt sick. They were the letter that I'd written to Andromeda and a scrap of Kyra's dress that she was wearing.

"I hope you're happy," he snarled, then left the room without another word.

Cold spread throughout my body, numbing the sharp pain that panged me every time my heart beat. My eyes were fixed on the last remnants of my dead daughter. Although a chasm of woe had opened up before me, no tears came to my eyes. I was done crying.

It's funny the things you notice when your senses have become hypersensitive. You may notice the most inappropriate things to notice, or the most random or trivial. And as I stared at the crumpled letter and scrap of fabric, one single thought entered my mind:

The ice pack had melted.


	10. As If She Never Existed

Carefully, and with much difficulty, I carried Draco upstairs and put him in his bed. He stirred only slightly, and I was glad that he didn't wake up. I had no desire to deal with his questions. I passed by mine and Lucius' bedroom and saw that the door was closed. Chest heaving with a sudden burst of anger, I retreated downstairs to the drawing room. I laid down on the couch with a blanket and closed my eyes, trying to ignore the huge hole that was ever present in my chest.

" _Mummy!"_

_I turn, a feeling of confusion looming over me like a huge, gray cloud. I'm standing on a grassy hill, wearing a white dress. Kyra is running up the hill toward me. She's in white too, and it contrasts her dark hair perfectly. I take her in my arms and hug her tightly. It's so wonderful to have her near me again._

" _Cissy!"_

_I look up and I see Andromeda coming up the hill with her daughter and husband. I have never met Ted or Nymphadora, so they are faceless, but I don't seem to mind. My sister embraces me and says that she forgives me for everything. Tears of happiness are in my eyes._

_Then there's a crack and Bellatrix appears out of nowhere. She and Andromeda hug each other and they cry with happiness. Bella greets Ted and Nymphadora, and then tells Kyra that she loves her even though she's a Muggle. Draco appears from behind the tree and joins in on this happy, white reunion._

_But, as always, this happiness didn't last._

_Lucius comes storming up the hill, dressed in all black. As he approaches us, clouds begin to cover the sky and block out the sunshine. The grass beneath his feet dies, and the tree begins to die as well. Andromeda, Ted, and Nymphadora have disappeared, and Bellatrix is clutching Kyra by the throat. I scream and lunge for my eldest sister, but Lucius restrains me. Draco is lying unconscious on the ground._

" _You've ruined us!" Lucius yells at me._

_The scenery changes abruptly to a charred landscape. Bellatrix, Kyra, and Draco are gone. It is just me and my husband._

_Lucius circles around me like a predator. "I hope you're happy."_

" _I'm not," I say._

" _Why not?" he asks angrily. "I thought this was what you wanted!"_

" _It isn't!" I scream. "I wanted a daughter. I wanted a family. I wanted us to be happy!"_

 _He smirks. "Well, you should've thought of that_ before _you brought a Muggle into our household."_

_I open my mouth, but he cuts me off._

" _We'll be the laughing stock of the purebloods now! We'll be cast out like your precious sister! Draco will never have a future and nobody will take us seriously anymore."_

_I fall to my knees, hitting the charcoal black ground. Ash rises up and clings to my no-longer-white dress. Lucius has disappeared, but his voice remains. Before me are the letter and the scrap of fabric. They're on fire._

" _I hope you're happy," his voice echoes. "I hope you're happy, I hope you're happy..."_

" _NO!_ " I screeched, sitting up in a wild state.

My eyes glanced frantically around and I relaxed at the familiarity of my drawing room. I removed the blanket and put my hot, sweaty face in my hands. This wouldn't do. This simply would not do. I couldn't go on like this. Questions of Kyra's whereabouts would arise. Questions that I had no answers to, nor the desire to answer. Draco would be scarred forever, and Lucius would never trust me again. We'd be cast out of society.

Slowly, I rose from the couch and picked up the letter and fabric, then left to the backyard. I went to the farthest corner of our property and began scrabbling at the dirt there. Once I had made a respectable hole, I dropped the letter and fabric into it. Tears smarted my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away. The time for tears was over.

I covered the objects with the dirt and place an unusually blue rock over the spot. Then I got up and set to work. First, I went to her room and collected all of her personal objects into a chest that was underneath her bed. I set that by the door and Transfigured everything in the room so it looked like a plain, ordinary guest room. Slowly, I crept over to Draco's room and removed anything that Kyra had ever given him. Then, wand in hand, I whispered,

" _Memoire Fausse_."

Draco stiffened as I slowly began to erase all memories of Kyra that he'd ever had. As soon as I was done, he relaxed again, and my heart gave a painful squeeze. I did the same to Lucius and to Dobby, and then I grabbed the chest as I went downstairs. I took a deep breath, and then cast it into the fire. I didn't have time to linger, however.

The night was a long one for me. I made my way to the Notts' and the Parkinsons' houses and also erased their memories of her. It turned out to be a good thing that Kyra wasn't allowed out much of the time. It meant less memories. I went to St. Mungo's and called the Knight Bus, and went all over London to destroy every memory of her.

The sun was beginning to rise in the sky when I finally returned home. I would make a trip to Azkaban tomorrow to take care of my sister. Silently, I entered my bedroom and crawled in beside Lucius. He mumbled something incoherent and turned over, putting a hand on my side. The hair on my arms and the back of my neck rose with disgust, but I didn't push it off. I had to play the part now.

"Good morning."

I opened my eyes the next morning with a start and looked at Lucius, who smiled at me and kissed my forehead. He got out of the bed and began to get ready for the day. Numbly (for I really wasn't quite sure of what to expect) I followed suit. I walked out to the hallway and Draco shoved past me and stormed down the stairs. I stood there for a moment feeling shocked and confused, then went to the dining room.

"Now, I'm thinking we should send him to Durmstrang Academy," Lucius said as he read the Prophet.

I blinked and opened my mouth to say something, but Draco spoke before me.

"I agree, Father," he said with a snotty tone to his voice, sounding every bit like a spoiled only child. "I heard they teach the Dark Arts there - and they don't let the filthy Mudblood riffraff in!"

My blood ran cold in my veins as my husband and son discussed how other schools should follow suit. How had my beautiful baby boy turned into such a brat overnight? What happened to his kindness, his morals -

I almost dropped my fork with the realization. In erasing Kyra, I'd also erased the lessons she'd taught him.

_Love and equality. Remember those and you will find happiness._

Draco was truly his father's son now.

I cleared my throat. "Durmstrang is so far away," I said quietly. "I'd much rather have him closer to home."

"Closer to home?" Lucius scoffed. "We can Apparate to see the boy whenever."

"I would just feel better knowing he was closer," I replied. "Besides, wouldn't you want to go to Hogwarts like your mum and dad?"

Draco rolled his eyes, a disdainful look on his face. "Only if I got into Slytherin. That house is the only one with sense. They don't allow the Mudbloods."

"And you're on the Board of Governors," I said to Lucius.

Lucius nodded, but a dark look crossed his face. "Yes, well, that crackpot Dumbledore doesn't listen to the governors anyhow."

"He's a filthy Muggle lover, right Father?" Draco asked.

"Right."

I swallowed, feeling uncomfortable with the subject now. Or, rather, feeling uncomfortable with this whole situation.

"Well, we needn't worry about it now," I said offhandedly. "He's still eight."

"Nearly nine!" Lucius pointed out. "But we'll talk about it later."

I nodded and resumed my previous silence.

For the rest of the day, I simply went through the motions of normal life. Lucille came over for tea and told me that Henry had finally found a fallback fiancé for Theodore: the younger Greengrass girl, Astoria. Draco and Lucius mistreated Dobby for no reason, and I had to restrain myself from showing kindness to the creature. I was glad when night came, and only when Lucius was asleep did I allow a single tear to fall from my eye.

It was as if she'd never existed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I came up with the incantation of the spell Narcissa used (it's French for false memory), but it's the same spell that Hermione used on her parents. Lots of people think the spell she used was Obliviate, but that's used to erase memories, not change them, and the incantation was never specified so I made up my own =)
> 
> ~Ki


	11. Epilogue

_August, 2017_

It took about a year for me to feel relatively normal without Kyra around. The hole in my chest still ached whenever I moved, but it had become usual for me. Occasionally I came across a person who still had memories of Kyra, but I quickly took care of them. I had to watch as my Draco was turned into a Death Eater and forced to try and kill Albus Dumbledore, as our home was invaded by Lord Voldemort and used as a headquarters during the second war.

I'd never liked the Death Eaters or the Dark Lord, but never before had I been filled with such a loathing and hatred for them. I was a dark witch and used dark magic often, but I'd stopped after I saw what it had turned my family into - what it had turned my _son_ into. I was not about to lose another child.

I knew the Potter boy was alive when I bent over him even before I examined him. His body was too warm, and, although he tried to hide it, I could tell that he was breathing. I pressed my hand to his chest and felt his heartbeat, my thoughts confirmed. I had no desire to win this war. In fact, I wanted Voldemort to lose. I didn't want to live in a society where fear and lies ran rampant.

All I cared about was my family.

" _Is Draco alive? Is he in the castle?_ "

I held my breath with anticipation until, almost inaudibly, " _Yes._ "

My hand squeezed him for a second, and then I turned around and declared him dead.

To this day I still feel an immense amount of pride at being one of the primary reasons for the Dark Lord's downfall. Due to my actions and the fact that Lucius, Draco, and I did not participate in the fighting spared my husband and son from having to spend time in Azkaban. Lucius remained bitter and filled with hatred. Our relationship never quite healed.

Draco, on the other hand, repented for his actions. His brief time with the Death Eaters disillusioned him from the lifestyle that his father had so glorified. He was basically estranged from any friends that he'd had at Hogwarts.

His saving grace was Astoria Greengrass. She and her sister Daphne were two of the very few Slytherin students that had sneaked away from their house to join in the fighting. Astoria helped him to see past his views of Muggles and Muggleborns, and showed him how to be a good person. I liked Astoria immensely, and was extremely pleased when Draco proposed to her. She reminded me of Kyra, with her kind manner, stubbornness, and dark hair.

Theodore did end up marrying a Greengrass girl, as he'd fallen in love with Daphne. They had two children: a dark haired minx named Adrianna and a stoic boy named Cecil, who was my grandson's age.

I absolutely adored my grandson Scorpius. He was the spitting image of Draco, yet seemed to have inherited Astoria's gentleness. He would be going off to Hogwarts soon.

Shortly after the war ended, we'd had the Manor torn down because of the terrible memories that lived in its walls. A slightly smaller Manor was rebuilt in its place. After Draco and Astoria were married, Lucius and I'd moved out of the Manor and into a two story house on the outskirts of Wiltshire. I visited them often.

I was returning home from one of these visits when something inside me guided me toward the town. I didn't fight this urge. I'd learned long ago to trust my feet. While walking, I enjoyed the usual hubbub of the streets. As I looked around, however, I accidentally forgot to look where I was going and ran into someone.

"I am terribly s - " I started, but froze when I looked at the woman.

She had a round face and a pale complexion. She appeared to be about Draco's age, perhaps a year older. Her hair was raven black, and when she looked at me her eyes were silver.

"Pardon me," she said apologetically in a voice that I would recognize anywhere, even after all these years.

She reached around her and a young girl around the age of ten stepped around the woman, looking shyly up at me. She had her mother's raven hair, but green eyes. Looking at her, I felt like I'd suddenly been transported back into my past.

I returned my gaze to the woman and my eyes spied the pendant on her necklace: the initials "KM" in silver.

"Would you humor an old woman and tell me your whole name?" I asked breathlessly.

She scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion and replied, "Kyra Estelle Murphy-Johnson, ma'am."

The breath left my lungs and I staggered. She reached out and steadied me, worry in her eyes.

"Are you alright? Perhaps you need to sit down for a moment. Come with me, and I'll get you something to drink."

I didn't have a chance to speak, and Kyra led me and the little girl across the street and into a small coffee house. She ordered two herbal teas and a glass of milk, and then we sat down at a table.

"I'm sorry for ordering for you, I should've asked," she said in retrospect.

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. Herbal tea is my favorite."

She beamed, and my heart melted. "Mine too!"

"I don't like it," the little girl said, twisting her face up with disgust. "It tastes funny."

"And what is your name?" I asked her.

"Natalie Johnson," she replied smartly.

"That's a very pretty name," I told her. She smiled, and then the waiter arrived with our drinks.

"I suppose Murphy is your maiden name?" I asked Kyra.

Kyra nodded and played with her necklace, a slight blush tainting her cheeks. "I've had this necklace for as long as I can remember. Pam - my adopted mother - told me that it was from my birth mother. I didn't want to completely change my last name because...well, because I felt I would lose what little connection I had left to her." She laughed. "I supposed that sounds rather silly."

I shook my head, tears in my eyes. "No. It sounds beautiful."

Kyra smiled at me, and then we got to talking about her childhood. She was found as a baby and raised by a woman named Pam. She couldn't remember her childhood until she was about ten years old, but she figured that was due to old age. Pam homeschooled her until she was ready to go to regular school, where she met her husband, Thomas Johnson. They separated when she went on to higher education, but reunited when she came back to town.

"I'm sorry," Kyra said suddenly, looking embarrassed. "I never asked you your name."

"Narcissa Malfoy," I replied.

Kyra blinked and paused for half a beat, and then smiled. "Nice to meet you!"

She gazed down at her watch and looked apologetically at me. "I'm sorry, but we must get going now. I would love to meet again with you, though."

She and Natalie slid out of the booth and I waved at them. "Goodbye, little Tiger Lily."

The name slipped out before I could catch it. I didn't even remember that nickname until just then. Kyra stopped and something was flickering in her eyes. Her eyebrows were pushed together and her expression was one of extreme confusion as she tried to remember something. Then she gave up, smiled at me, and left.

I sat there for a little while longer, and pondered the miracle that my Kyra was still alive. I thought back to that night when Lucius had come home with the letter and fabric. In my grief and anger, I hadn't noticed the resigned slump of his shoulders or the sadness behind the walls in his eyes. Then the realization dawned on me of what must've happened.

Lucius did love Kyra. I knew it. And no matter how much he'd tried to deny it, the feeling was still there. He did raise her and love her as his own, and nothing - not even blood prejudice - can stop love. He must have modified her memory to forget us and put her in the hands of a capable woman who would raise her and love her and give her the life she deserved.

Eventually I left the coffeehouse and returned home. I sat beside Lucius on the couch, where he was reading the Prophet. I put his arm around me and kissed his cheek.

"I love you," I told him.

He looked surprised. We hadn't been affectionate with each other for many, many decades.

"And I love you, Cissy," he replied, kissing my forehead.

I settled in and closed my eyes, feeling content and happy for the first time in far too long. And something else surprised me as well. I finally felt the hole I'd been living with for so long start to close. I loved my husband, Draco was happy, and my little girl turned out to be alive.

Yes. I suppose it _was_ fate after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for cheesy endings! So Lucius had a heart after all =)
> 
> I wrote this story this way so it could be considered canon if you wanted it to be, but I have it classified as AU because it really is
> 
> Hey, remember in the beginning I told you to pay attention to the colors? Well, here are the meanings:  
> White: innocence  
> Yellow: flashy, fake, gaudy  
> Green: hope, dreams  
> Gray: gloom  
> Blue: deception  
> Black: evil  
> Red: passion
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Ki
> 
> My [tumblr](http://kiconwrites.tumblr.com)


End file.
